How To Buy and Sell Crafts!

If you buy and sell crafts and are doing well with it, then this article is not going to help you. But if you are just starting out Buying and selling handmade items or even mass products crafts or you are having difficulty making a profit, these basic tips on buying and selling crafts will push you in the right direction.

Buy and Sell Crafts For Fun and Profit! A Great Opportunity...

Buying and selling arts and crafts is a great opportunity for people with creative flair to sell individual goods and for buyers to purchase something unique and not mass produced. The handmade movement is a growing one, as people seek to create new opportunities in harsh economic time. For buyers, handmade allows the customer to reject exploitative production methods and find quality handmade, local and environmentally friendly items. The option to buy and sell crafts is offered through markets, craft fairs, shops and online stores.

Why buy and sell crafts?

There are a number of reasons why purchasing handmade is a great choice. Handmade items are produced to a high standard, using quality materials and with care to the smallest of details. For those who buy and sell crafts, the handmade option is considered a better alternative to mass produced items that are made in sweatshops or using environmentally unfriendly practices. Handmade items can be made by 'upcycling' something old into something new that is functional and beautiful; or they can be custom made to the specifications of the buyer.

Where to buy crafts?

There are a number of options to buy and sell crafts. You can chose from buying and selling online, at craft markets and fairs, from shops that hold crafts on consignment or even via word of mouth from family and friends. Which option you choose will depend upon your individual circumstances. If you live in a location with a buzzing local craft market or craft store, then the option to buy from there may seem the most logical one. However, if you live in a remote location or you want something custom made, then buying online may be a better option for you. For sellers, there are different factors to consider.

Choosing where to sell crafts

As a seller, the two main options to buy and sell crafts are via craft markets or online. There are pros and cons to each of these and many sellers will ultimately use both options to sell their items. Selling online can be a good way to make a start if you are about to venture into selling your crafts for the first time. The reason for this is that the cost of listing items to sell is low, there are some thriving online communities that sell a massive array of different crafts and you can make a start with just a few items. Some good places to start are Etsy.com for US/international sales, madeit.com.au for Australian sales or Folksy.com for the United Kingdom.

Selling at craft markets can be a wonderful opportunity for more experienced sellers and those who have more stock readily available. When you buy or sell crafts at a market, there is an opportunity to meet the people who make the items face to face. This environment can also be a good place to network with other crafters and with people who may take your items as wholesale or on consignment. The downside of a craft market is that you need to pay to set up your own space at the market, you may need the appropriate tables and merchandise display items, plus you need enough stock ready to go to fill the space you have hired. All this requires money, time and knowhow, which may take a while to build up to.

In order to successfully buy and sell crafts, take the time to find out what is happening in your local area. Are there craft markets you could participate in? Do you know someone with a shop who may be willing to take your items on consignment? Have you been making the most of word of mouth to connect with buyers or sellers? Engaging with local and online opportunities will help you to build a good following as a seller and provide you with the means to buy beautiful and unique handcrafted items.